Holy Week traffic ‘carmageddon’ leads Filipinos to do crazy things

As Filipinos enjoyed the rarity of an ultra-long weekend dedicated to religious traditions (or the beach, we won’t judge) for the Holy Week, this meant an exodus of Metro Manila’s population to their hometowns or vacation spots — leading to heavy traffic across major expressways.

The North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) recorded an average running speed of 5 kilometers per hour, which practically placed the entire road at a standstill.

The heavy traffic forced some Filipinos to get creative in order to pass the time.

Take this group of passengers, who distracted themselves from “carmageddon” by playing badminton in the middle of the road.

Meanwhile, another group doing the Visita Iglesia, or visiting seven different churches on Maundy Thursday, chose to partake in the classic Filipino pastime: singing karaoke.

Meanwhile, one took photos of a fellow passenger who began doing the prep work for her lumpia (spring rolls) by prying the wrappers apart, after being stuck in traffic for four hours.

While several users were amused by these antics, others lamented the country’s dire traffic conditions that only worsen during holidays. “A lot of people are saying that ‘Pinoys are really creative, more fun in the [Philippines].’ Why settle for less if we deserve better? A simple and efficient urban planning and efficiency,” one said.